What are you listening 2 now?

[Daverz]

Furthermore, the volume has been raised to a worryingly high level

Thanks for the report.  I'm not sure a subpar remastering job makes it into my top ten signs of the apocalypse, though.

If the remasterings have large differences in gain, and your system uses an analog volume pot, it's possible that compensating for the higher gain puts your volume pot in a sub-optimal position (a well-known issue with the non-linear behavior of analog volume pots).   It's also well known that even small differences in gain can cause large differences in subjective impressions.  A way to get around this is to equalize the gain of the digital files before making any comparisons.

I have the "Philips Years" box and the blu-ray derived Bruckner and Mahler boxes, but not the "Symphonies" box.  Are there particular tracks that I should compare?

[Number Six]

So I started the 2024 release of Vivaldi's Four Seasons from Jordi Savall and his gang. 

It's got Italian voiceover narration all over it, at least in the first track. (I skipped ahead, and it seems to be a thing everywhere on this recording.)

Nope. Sorry. Not interested. 

[ritter]

So I started the 2024 release of Vivaldi's Four Seasons from Jordi Savall and his gang.

It's got Italian voiceover narration all over it, at least in the first track. (I skipped ahead, and it seems to be a thing everywhere on this recording.)

Nope. Sorry. Not interested.

CD 1 has the concerti "con lettura dei sonetti". They're repeated on CD2, in "versione puramente strumentale".

[Number Six]

CD 1 has the concerti "con lettura dei sonetti". They're repeated on CD2, in "versione puramente strumentale".

Thanks!

That's what I get for being language ignorant. 

ETA:  Oh, when I stretched out my Tidal screen to show the whole track names, they say "with sonnet".

[Roasted Swan]

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, he Nutcracker Complete ballet, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn

An old friend of a set.  Probably not now my favourite version but still warmly nostalgic!!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Kodaly, Ivan Fischer/Budapest.

[Lisztianwagner]

Arnold Bax
Symphony No.5

Vernon Handley & BBC Philharmonic

[ritter]

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players perform Schubert (Piano Trio in B-flat major, D. 898), Milhaud (Pastorale for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, op. 147) and Hindemith (Kleine Kammermusik for woodwind quintet, Op. 24, No. 2).



CD 8 of this set:

[Mandryka]

The Regis Missa Ecce Ancilla Domine.  Excellent music spoiled by a slightly wimpy performance style. Come on, singers! Give it some welly! 

Ah -- just pumped up the volume -- that helps.

Back to this. I dug it out because in his book on Ockeghem's masses, Fabius Fitch says that Johannes Regis's Missa Ecce Ancilla Domine surpasses Ockeghem's and Dufay's, for technical reasons to do with counterpoint, use of cantus firmus etc blah blah. It is a very good mass though.

[Karl Henning]

The chamber scoring of Appalachian Spring, and the Short Symphony are right among my very favorite Copland, for sure.

[VonStupp]

+ 1 to all this. Distler has a very individual voice. Most of his output is for voices, to be sung by modest local forces. He believed in music as an instrument of  peace. I recently listened with delight to his harpsichord concertos. His op. 12, Geistliche Chormusik includes his most famous work Totentanz. Definitely worth a try.

I will definitely search them out. Thanks!
VS

[Traverso]

Thanks for the report.  I'm not sure a subpar remastering job makes it into my top ten signs of the apocalypse, though.

If the remasterings have large differences in gain, and your system uses an analog volume pot, it's possible that compensating for the higher gain puts your volume pot in a sub-optimal position (a well-known issue with the non-linear behavior of analog volume pots).  It's also well known that even small differences in gain can cause large differences in subjective impressions.  A way to get around this is to equalize the gain of the digital files before making any comparisons.

I have the "Philips Years" box and the blu-ray derived Bruckner and Mahler boxes, but not the "Symphonies" box.  Are there particular tracks that I should compare?

Thanks for the report.  I'm not sure a subpar remastering job makes it into my top ten signs of the apocalypse, though.

If the remasterings have large differences in gain, and your system uses an analog volume pot, it's possible that compensating for the higher gain puts your volume pot in a sub-optimal position (a well-known issue with the non-linear behavior of analog volume pots).  It's also well known that even small differences in gain can cause large differences in subjective impressions.  A way to get around this is to equalize the gain of the digital files before making any comparisons.

I have the "Philips Years" box and the blu-ray derived Bruckner and Mahler boxes, but not the "Symphonies" box.  Are there particular tracks that I should compare?

I can't give you any advice in this.I Have only the "Philips Years" and the " Symphony Edition".I never heard the boxes with the new remasterings myself.I purchased them before .The reviewer went to a friend with a better and more expensive equipment and the result was the same,this to make sure that it was evident and not a mistake on his part.I have excellent recordings so why should  I buy another ,all those new remasterings are mainly a selling issue.The reviewer is not a fool or incompetent and I thought that a warning was the right thing to do.Mirror Image who is very critical and always buying the best thing possible admitted that the older mastering was much better as the reviewer described..

[AnotherSpin]

[Que]

Disc 3: Harmoniæ Morales 20-53.

[Irons]

Humphrey Searle: Symphony No.1

[Traverso]

Dowland

CD 5  and final

[Que]

Books two and three arrived yesterday from the USA. Fortunately Amazon.com seems to have joined the EU import scheme for small retail, and import duties are collected at purchase and the packages cross the border without hindrance. This saves me the "administrative handling fees" of Dutch customs, which would significantly surpass the actual duties.

[Que]

Dowland

CD 5  and final

Still regret not trying to stuff that in my suitcase as well when visiting Japan... Though it is quite odd that it has never been reissued.

[Harry]

Books two and three arrived yesterday from the USA. Fortunately Amazon.com seems to have joined the EU import scheme for small retail, and import duties are collected at purchase and the packages cross the border without hindrance. This saves me the "administrative handling fees" of Dutch customs, which would significantly surpass the actual duties.

I streamed them from Qobuz, imported them so to say, no taxes, import duties no hassle, complete PDF files, I am so happy that almost all is at hand,        buying CD's is over for me. But what to do with all the CD's that gather dust?

[Harry]

Henri Marteau (1874–1934)
The Complete Works for String Quartet III.
String Quartet No.3 op. 17.
Acht Lieder op. 10. (I skipped that part of the CD for obvious reasons)
Isasi Quartet.

In the third quartet, Marteau is far ahead of his time, and is of a completely different nature as the previous SQ, and presents in his musical message a strong biographical work, and one of his finest I might add. Breathlessly I listened to the gorgeous arrangement of moods and emotions, so deeply felt. An epiphany really.
And such a expertly worked out performance. If you sample his SQ start with the third. Pristine recording.